New life

There are some strangers living in my house. Two nights in a row now they have cooked dinner together, in the kitchen - at the same time, and sat down at the dining room table without the TV on to eat together. They look like us, but they aren't acting like us. How weird! Tonight we needed taco seasoning mix so Alan went on the Internet and looked up a recipe, randomly concocted some, and used it on the ground meat. Delicious taco salad.

Moved!

Whew! It's done. Thanks to Alan's parents and his WONDERFUL friends Andy, Mark and Tim we got out of our Greenwood house on Saturday and into our Spartanburg house. The 22 foot moving truck Alan rented wasn't quite big enough, but the guys did a miraculous job packing it all in. Tired doesn't begin to describe how I feel. But relieved is accurate.

Tandem Team

For the rest of GTR I could never get the WiFi at the Jamieson Inn to let me blog. Which was too bad, because I was having a lot of fun Saturday and Sunday to blog about. We definitely chose the right route on Saturday. It got to 95 degrees and the wind blew constantly. We did the remote start - only 20 miles to lunch - at beautiful Lake Blackshear Resort. Then a fairly miserable, but shorter 15 miles back to the truck. Shower, nap, delicious dinner at the elegant Windsor Hotel. Sunday morning at 8:30 the group lit out for Plains - home of 39th Prez Jimmy Carter. Enjoyed a great rest stop and photo op in the tiny town (reminded me of Ninety Six). Jimmy was teaching Sunday School at tiny Maranatha Baptist church but we didn't stop, merely waved at the secret service agents outside. The return trip to Americus was, as Alan put it, "like birdie-ing 18". It made you want to come back for more. We rode with a fun group, at a fast pace, with a tailwind (the first of the weekend). As always, an extremely well-planned and fun event. See the link at right for the GTR homepage and many photos.

GTR 2006 - Day 1

We're here! Left home in Greenwood this morning about 7:30 and arrived in Americus, Georgia, at 10 after 1:00. Hopped on the bike to join the 1:30 group ride - about 35 miles in a stiff headwind. We rode through Americus and out to Andersonville for a rest stop before we explored the Andersonville National Historic Site. We toured the museum exhibits on prisoners of war and then rode the bike around the Civil War cemetery. Beautiful and moving spot to ponder the base-ness of humanity.

Tonight we enjoyed a private group tour of Habitat for Humanity's Global Village. Interesting, esp considering our own current housing dilemma.

Sorry no pictures today. I did manage to choose the correct clothing for the weather at all times today, which is rare. I enjoyed wearing my new purple shorts and tank top. No sunburn yet. Also ate a lot today - breakfast at home, then again at Chikfila in Augusta, BIG lunch at a Yoder's restaurant in Montezuma GA, snacks while we rode and then a BIG dinner. Should be all fueled up for tomorrow. (:

Back on the bike

Congrats to our friends Connie and Bill who survived a horrific bike crash April 1 and have recovered sufficiently to return to the saddle. May not be completely up to speed yet, but gotta get back on that horse.

Alan and I have fun plans for next weekend at the Georgia Tandem Rally, even though we haven't ridden a bike together in weeks. NO TIME with this mega-commute we've got going right now. But at least we will get away and have some great (short) routes mapped out for us.

Homeless no more

Today we found a house to rent! 122 Canterbury in Converse Heights, Spartanburg. Whew!! Details to follow. Hopefully stress relief to follow as well.